Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Espinho: Asian champions Oman will face two former world championship finalists after Tuesday’s draw for the Group Stage of the 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup pooled the Gulf Sultanate alongside Switzerland and Italy.
Oman open what is only their second World Cup campaign on July 9 against the Swiss, who finished runners-up to Brazil in 2009 when the last of the annual tournaments took place on Jumeirah Beach in the UAE, before the Asian champions face 2008’s beaten finalists Italy two days later.
Oman then round off their Group B campaign on July 13 against Costa Rica, looking to secure a top-two finish that will take them through to the knockout stage.
Skippered by veteran national team star Hani Al Dhabat, who netted 22 times in 2001 to become that year’s leading international goal scorer, Oman were crowned Asian champions following a stellar display at the AFC Asian Beach Soccer Championship in Doha, which culminated in the Gulf Sultanate defeating Japan, who had contested every continental final since 2006, 5-3 in the final at Katara beach in the Qatari capital.
Regular campaigners on the global stage Japan will face tournament hosts Portugal after the 11-time Beach Soccer world championship competitors were drawn in Group A alongside the European powerhouse.
In addition to taking on Portugal, who became the first team other than Brazil to win the Beach Soccer world title when they ended the South Americans run of six consecutive tournament victories in 2001, Japan will also face Argentina and three-time African champions Senegal.
Meanwhile Iran, Asia’s third representatives at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 following their 8-3 triumph over Lebanon in the third-place playoff, have been handed the toughest assignment of the trio.
The 2013 Asian champions have been drawn in Group C where they must rise to the challenge of 13-time Beach Soccer world champions Brazil, three-time runners-up Spain, and Mexico if they are to advance to the knockout stage for only the second time in six attempts after reaching the quarter-finals at the last FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup held in Tahiti two years ago.
The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015 will be played on the sands of the Praia da Baia from July 9 to 19.
Photo: beachsoccer.com